Photo by Josh Schaefer/Saskatchewan Rush/GetMyPhoto.ca
The braintrust of the Saskatchewan Rush have been recognized for the N-L-L franchise’s bounce-back 2024-25 season.
The league announced Wednesday that Derek Keenan (pictured) has captured the G-M of the Year award for a fourth time while Keenan’s co-coach with the Rush, Jimmy Quinlan, has won the N-L-L Coach-of-the-Year honour.
Saskatchewan and their 16-5 record, regular-season and playoffs combined, is in Buffalo Friday for Game 1 of the best-of-three N-L-L Cup final. Game 2 is Sunday at 6 o’clock at SaskTel Centre. Following are the news releases from the Rush…..
Keenan wins fourth NLL GM of the Year award
May 14, 2025
Saskatoon, SK – Saskatchewan Rush general manager Derek Keenan has won the National Lacrosse League’s GM of the Year award.
“It’s a credit to the whole group, right from top to bottom. The ownership support that I get here, the fact they trusted me with the plan that I’ve had the last couple years, I appreciate all that,” mentioned Keenan. “Of course, it really comes down to the players and they’ve done their job.”
In the offseason, Keenan made the biggest splash, signing free agent Austin Shanks who was tied for the team lead in goals with 35 to a two-year deal, acquired 43-point scorer Brock Haley in a trade with the Vancouver Warriors, saw four of his draft picks make their rookie debuts this season, all while extending Matt Hossack and Frank Scigliano to contract extensions in season.
“He’s the most winningest coach there is, so obviously it’s great to be around a winner like that every day,” commented forward Zach Manns. “He just instills a winning attitude and good habits into guys week in and week out. When he speaks, everyone listens. He commands the room. And that’s just how much respect everyone has for him.”
The nine-time league champion won the GM award in 2014, 2010 and 2006 with Edmonton and Portland, while being named a finalist in 2017 and 2018 with Saskatchewan.
Jimmy Quinlan wins NLL Coach of the Year
May 14, 2025
Saskatoon, SK – Saskatchewan Rush co-head coach Jimmy Quinlan has won the National Lacrosse League’s Les Bartley Award, handed out annually to the Coach of the Year.
“I think it’s a credit to our players and the work they put in the all season, every week,” said Quinlan. “I’m just the guy whose name gets brought forward, so again, it’s something that I’m obviously proud of, but it’s the guys in room and the people that I’m surrounded with that deserve all the credit.”
Quinlan, the pride of Edmonton, Alberta was up for the Les Bartley Award for the first time in his coaching career. With his number 81 hanging in the rafters following his playing days, he led the Rush this season to a record of 13-5 in the regular season, five more wins than the previous year, bringing Saskatchewan back to the playoffs for the first time in six years.
The Rush saw major improvements in multiple categories this season, but mostly in goals against where the team average dropped by almost two goals per game, while the offensive output remained relatively similar to the previous season. Quinlan ran the most disciplined bench in the season, averaging a league low 8.2 penalty minutes per game, three full minor penalties less than the league average. Saskatchewan’s penalty kill also rose from 13th in the NLL at 47% in 23/24, to 3rd best in the league at 61% in 24/25.
“He’s always positive. Like that’s his main thing that he says to us all the time is stay positive,” commented forward Brock Haley. “We could show up to a Friday practice, guys are tired from flights and he’s rolling in like he’s about to teach a third-grade class with so much enthusiasm, so much excitement and we just feed off that.”
The 43-year-old is the second Saskatchewan Rush to win Coach of the Year, following Derek Keenan who took home the honours in 2018.
